AMONG THE WILD FLOWERS. 213 
leaflike floating plates which constitute these 
simplest of all flowering plants are called. 
There is no distinction of stem or leaf. The 
plate or frond is tailed at one end, and serrate 
at the other. The flowers are very minute, 
and consist of one or two stamens in a mem- 
branous bag, or spath; they are put forth from 
the margins of the plates. The plant increases 
chiefly by buds, which survive the winter. 
Minute as these plants are, there are four 
species of them. 
The Anacharis alstnastrum, usually known 
as the American Water-weed, also as Water 
Thyme, is very common in midland counties. 
It appears to have been first observed in 
England about 40 years ago, and has meantime 
increased so extensively as to partially choke 
up many water-courses and canals. The 
flowers of this plant are dicecious, but in 
Britain only the female flowers are found, and 
the plant therefore does not perfect any seed, 
which may in part account for its exceptional 
vegetative power. There are 3 petals and 9 
stamens in the male flower; the female flower 
has a long tube and 1-celled capsule, sepals and 
petals broad and nearly equal, stigmas reflexed ; 
